With 1.6 million subscribers on Snapchat, influencer Kenza Benchrif was ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 euros for deceptive commercial practices. A new conviction which comes as part of a tightening of the rules regarding influence on social networks.
For a long time, many content creators operated in a gray area where the rules for commercial partnerships were not extremely clear. The obligation to announce that content was sponsored was already in place, but the way to do it, the duration of the display, or the list of prohibited products and practices, had not been defined.
Faced with multiple cases of disguised partnerships, drop-shipping or even deceptive commercial practices, more restrictive legislation was put in place in June, forcing influencers to be much more rigorous under penalty of fines and/or fines. ‘a prison sentence.
Prohibited products, hidden intentions… Poupette Kenza heavily sanctioned
The end of 2023 is not easy for influencer Poupette Kenza, followed by more than a million and a half people on Snapchat and more than a million on TikTok. Last October, his account was temporarily blocked due to “ sexual content involving a minor “. An explanation rejected by the person concerned, who sees it as a reaction from malicious people after her positions on the conflict currently underway in Gaza.
Its return to the news was made through the DGCCRF (Directorate General for Competition, Consumption, and Fraud Repression). The official account of the service, in fact, indicated that Poupette Kenza, through the company Seyana Society, had been ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 euros for deceptive commercial practices.
The influencer was criticized for not having sufficiently highlighted the commercial nature of certain publications, and for having passed off a tooth whitener as legal while its marketing is prohibited on French territory. It must also display the decision on its various networks through a press release. The case is not a surprise for her followers, since Kenza Benchrif herself indicated that she had received a letter from the DGCCRF last August, while specifying that she intended to defend herself against the accusations made.
Convictions in spades and more supervised practices
At the beginning of June 2023, a wave of injunctions sent to influencers and posted on social networks indicated that the DGCCRF was going to look into the case of influencers and their commercial practices. At the same time, a bill governing practices was debated and then unanimously adopted in Parliament after the launch of collective actions and damning reports issued by the DGCCRF. This new law explicitly defines commercial influence professions, and sets a certain number of rules and limits.
For example, it is completely forbidden to promote cosmetic surgery, therapeutic abstinence, sports betting or even games of chance. If alcohol is not involved, any promotion of nicotine is also prohibited under the Evin law. Influencers must also permanently and visibly show the commercial or sponsored nature of content, a fairly vague rule which has created some controversy.
More specifically, content dedicated to beauty products must be accompanied by a notice indicating the presence of a filter if applicable. In the event of non-compliance, sanctions can go up to a fine of 300,000 euros and two years in prison.
Source : The world, Economy.Government, X
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